


Pristine Blue Scales

by MidoriEmmi



Series: Merfolk Chronicles [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Multi, Supernatural AU - Freeform, mermaid au, merman au, soulmate, what if this is the reason rin went to aussie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-23
Updated: 2014-11-23
Packaged: 2018-02-26 16:50:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2659310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidoriEmmi/pseuds/MidoriEmmi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin has always scoffed at his hometown’s obsession with myths and urban legends, especially the one about merfolk. He takes it upon himself to dispel it, though perhaps staying out way after midnight alone on the beach isn’t the best plan. MermanAU. For RinHaru Week 2014 on Tumblr. Oneshot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pristine Blue Scales

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't have time to write more than one oneshot, but then it just burst the 8k words bracket and I decided that was enough 8'D Enjoy!

Iwatobi has always been surrounded by the mystery of the ocean. The vast aquatic realm is clear and welcoming yet murky and dangerous at times. There are numerous tales of old, that tell of creatures lurking beneath the surface, of magical and unseen forces that are not to be trifled with.

It is clear to see that many were possibly passed down simply to scare and protect the children from gallivanting off late at night, curious to see what the darkness would bring. The moonlight casts an eerie glow on the sandy shores of the beach, and few if any dare to venture there without proper lighting. And as easy as it is to dismiss all of such preposterous myths, there is one which stands out most of all, one which even adults believe.

The one which speaks of the ethereal merfolk who bewitch and lure humans into the waters, never to be seen again.

Matsuoka Rin has always huffed at the ridiculous tales, even if he does admit that the merfolk one intrigues him. There are no such things as unseen forces, in his childish opinion. He is twelve and there are no such thing as monsters. His friend Tachibana Makoto is far too paranoid for his own good, and every odd occurrence can always be explained by science. Even his little sister fears the dark, always looking to him for “protection” throughout the night.

The sea is far too beautiful, too calming to be hiding something so dangerous and unreal.

Which is why he chooses to sneak out one night, long after everyone is asleep. He wants to go where he’s not supposed to, if only to dispel any myths the adults attempt to feed them with. There is no such thing as merfolk or any weird thing that could possibly ensnare them. He is taking none of that crap.

The moonlight seems to shine brighter as he steps closer to the gently lapping waves, and the dark waters glisten as they catch the rays of the full moon. The atmosphere feels almost fairytale-like, as if a surreal plane separated from reality.

Rin hears a splash, and whips his head around to find unnatural ripples from the spot he heard it from. He rolls his pants up, and wades out. There is nothing as far as he can see, and the surface is still again.

It is almost disappointing, even as he throws himself back onto the bed, pants dripping wet and all. The red digits on his clock reads 2 am. He sleeps, but his dreams swim in an odd flurry; of scenes at sea, of the pristine blue waters, and of an exquisite blue tail.

Makoto practically shrieks at his stories of lost sleep in favour of walking the unsafe sands of Iwatobi’s beach. The brunet is terrified at the idea of his friend putting himself in such danger, and wants nothing more than to tell the adults. Rin slaps his hand over the other’s mouth, promising to give up by the week’s end if he still finds nothing. He most likely will not, and they can then go on with their lives, and he can go on living knowing the merfolk myths are mere myths and nothing can prove them right.

It is the 7th night, and while the redhead can safely say he has seen nothing, that isn't really the case. The mysterious ripples have increased in number over the course of his nightly visits, and yet each time he turns to look, his line of sight is empty. It frustrates him how whoever is out there plays him like a game. The waves also seem more agitated than usual, the foam accompanying each lap fizzing and dissolving with much fervour.

“I promised Makoto I would not come back after this night,” he spoke. But to whom in particular? “And I intend to keep that promise.”

He wades back and steps out, ignoring the way the sand clings to his wet feet. Then he hears another splash, one so big it flings salty droplets all over him. Rin feels a vein pop, and he whirls around, fully intending to deal with the perpetrator.

“Hey! What’s the big id-”

A pair of glowing blue eyes stare back at him. Eyes the shade of the raging ocean.

They belong to a young boy no older than he, undressed as far as the eye could see, with hair black as the midnight sky. He stays submerged even as Rin stares back, transfixed by the appearance of another. The boy swims closer to shore, but makes no move to join the redhead on dry land.

Red and blue gaze into each other for the longest time, and the boy in the sea huffs before breaking eye contact. He looks amused, and allows the shadow of the cloudy skies to cover him, even if his smirking orbs are trained on the human.

“W-Wait!”

He turns back, but only for a brief moment. The other's fluid dive leaves no trace behind, and Rin stands, perplexed and fascinated.

Nothing about that young boy is human. No human eyes glow like that, not to mention that ethereal shade of ocean blue. His very existence commands attention, and his ease with the water tells stories of his probable origins. There is also no mistaking the glimpse of that sleek blue tail of his dreams from the first night, and just as quickly as he had come, he goes.

Rin lies to Makoto about the previous night, promising nothing happened and his days of sneaking out are over. It is far from the truth, and he wants nothing more than to return where he can meet ocean blue eyes and an equally blue tail. He’s truly intrigued for the first time in his young life, and his curiosity knows no bounds.

He finds himself returning to that same spot, every night, and each time his little friend would be there. They do not speak to each other, nor do they touch. They simply spend an hour in companionable silence. The moonlight catches on the tiny patches of scales on the other’s skin some nights, and the glistening sight is mesmerizing. The time to leave always comes too soon even as all they do is stay by each other, but as always his friend departs without complaint, the waves crashing over any and every trace he leaves behind.

His dreams are filled with a calm he can't quite place. He dreams of being light as air, free as a bird. He glides over an empty, vast expanse, no restraints, no boundaries. It always ends with a glowing pair of blue eyes beckoning to him and challenging him. Then he wakes up.

He wakes up as if nothing happens.

The nights he spends with his new companion get longer, and Rin finds himself spending nearly half his sleeptime on the uncomfortable sands of the beach. It frustrates him how he still hasn't learnt the name of the other, and how their time is always spent so meaninglessly. He ignores the fact that he is the one who chooses to come back time after time. The redhead is waist deep in the water by the time he comes back to his senses, and a great deal closer to that mysterious being than he ever was.

"Hey...we've been meeting for so long," he starts, a little upset by the way his friend backs away from him. "Can't you at least tell me your name?"

The raven comes a little closer, but his lips are sealed. Rin exhales, yet he doesn't move.

"Do you...understand me?"

Perhaps he was naive, perhaps the merfolk knew not of the human language, and to him his words may have made less sense than the garbles of a strangled cat.

"I do."

The soft reply startles him. He realizes the distance has closed between them, and his own bewildered gaze of wonder is reflected in luminescent irises.

"Then tell me your name."

"Only if I can have yours."

He could have demanded an explanation, argued that he deserved the first answer, but he does not. Rin hesitatingly steps forward, glad that the other stays where he is.

"My name is Rin."

The submerged one nods, and he blinks.

"My name is Haruka."

Haruka disappears of his own accord when Rin's digital watch beeps. The redhead trudges home under the twilight sky of dusk transitioning to dawn, and he ponders about the slight disappointment he feels.

The urge to sleep in class is stronger now that his sleep hours are compromised. He doesn't let it affect his schoolwork however, and with that he avoids any concerned questions he may get from Makoto. He all but flies to their meeting spot the moment his watch signals midnight, and he wonders when it became the highlight of his day, everyday.

They start to speak, and chat about their lives. Haruka is shy, and not one of many words. Rin finds himself supplying far too much of the conversation, but his worries are put at bay by the tiny smile on his companion's face. The raven has grown comfortable enough to migrate to shore, tail and all. He is almost the same size as Rin, and just the same except for his lower half. He speaks little of his own world, but when he does he says the most interesting things.

Like how they scoff at the way humans cruise on mechanical vehicles when all the merfolk need for transport are their magnificent tails. The way they enjoy their food raw, and the way they are one with the friends of the sea.

Swimming is one thing they find in common however, and Rin just has to envy how natural it is to Haruka. He loves the feel of water on his skin, and he likes how they both agree that the water provides them the freedom they so desire.

Days pass, and they grow as living things, as companions, as friends.

Their secret lasts no longer than a little over a month. Little Gou has been spying on her brother more than she should, and her fear of losing him triggers her pleas to their mother. The woman reprimands her only son, demanding to know how and when it all happened. She's angry, but her body language reeks of fear. Rin explains, he tries to convince her that there is nothing dangerous about the merboy he has come to care for, that they are just friends. She hears nothing of it and sends him to bed. This time, she stakes out his door, and hardens her heart at the muffled cries coming from the room.

Haruka waits for hours. The sun is his enemy, and he disappears under before the first rays hit the cool sands.

Rin is tormented by visions of crashing black waves, eerie eyes staring at him from all directions. He feels this compelling need to see Haruka again, the pull almost unbearable. He misses the smell of the sea, and the nightly breeze the comes with it. He misses his merfriend, and that in itself upsets him to no end.

It takes a full week before he manages to sneak out, and Haruka stares impatiently at him. He holds both hands up in surrender, and explains his absence. The merboy’s eyes darken with each word, and he frowns, much unlike the usual emotionless mask. He accepts the explanation, and they fall back into their ritual of exchanging their lives, in the form of words and the melody of Rin’s laughter. The last half an hour sees them falling into comfortable silence, and the human asks the question that has been on his mind since day one.

“Haru.”

He chuckles at the irritated twitch in response to his nickname.

“What?”

“Are you going to spirit me away?” Rin flinches subtly as intense blue fixes on him. “Take me away to the wondrous world you speak of? Like the legend says?”

All he hears are the lapping of the waves. He thinks he might have asked the wrong question, but then he hears a sigh.

“How naive you humans are,” he mutters, looking at his aqua coloured fingernails. “It depends, really.”

“So you’re saying you might?”

“Who knows.”

Rin presses for more details, but the weird look in Haruka’s eyes just gets darker, and he asks no more. The raven dives in on the first beep, and the human can only stare longingly as he makes his way home.

Their meetings are hard to come by, but not entirely impossible. Rin has a feeling his mom allows them on purpose, but he doesn’t know why. All he knows is he’s having a great time with his new friend, and despite their circumstances he wants nothing more than to continue their budding friendship. He wants to bust the myths of old, and he wants to know more of a world he hasn’t seen.

He hides nothing from Makoto when the other points out for the umpteenth time that he is close to dozing off during class. The brunet is paranoid about getting caught for being out so late, but Rin persists, and it pays off. Makoto is awed by the appearance of Haruka, and his eyes sparkle as he blurts out questions, compliments, and everything in between. The redhead can tell his friend is annoying the merboy just a tad bit, and convinces them both to loosen up and relax.

They exchange some small talk, and leave earlier than usual. Makoto has reached his limit for staying out way past his curfew, and Rin escorts him back as thanks for having agreed to such an unusual meeting. Haruka is less than happy at the disruption of their time, and the redhead has to laugh at the pout and promise to make it up the next night to appease the upset merboy.

The Matsuoka matriarch comes back home with some documents one day, and she summarises the contents outright.

She wants her son to continue his swimming in Australia. He would stay with a foster family, study at school there, swim to his heart’s content, and come back a stronger, more mature person. Rin’s excellent results guarantee him a scholarship, and there are better swimming coaches there too.

“It is a great opportunity for you,” she says, eyeing the way Rin reluctantly sieves through the papers. “You’re a smart boy, and it’s a step, no, several steps even, towards your Olympic dream.”

Her explanation is sound, but he isn’t fooled by that. Her real intentions are clear, and it hurts him to see that his mother would even think of doing such a thing.

To go to Australia would mean he would have to leave Iwatobi, and Japan. It would mean him leaving the home he always knew, to some foreign land he knew nothing off, to speak some foreign language he knew even less about. It would mean him leaving Haruka, his valuable merfriend and amazing confidant, to leave such a precious friendship behind.

Rin doesn’t remember ever having a fallout that huge with his mother. She’s always been the one he talked to, confided in, taken comfort in. All he wants is for her to understand that her worries are invalid, that yes, the merfolk do exist but no, they have no intention of kidnapping or harming him. All she wants is for her only son to be safe, and in her opinion sending him abroad is the only answer, and one she does not budge on. The redhead is so mad he even brings in the topic of his father and her husband, and he immediately regrets it as the fire in her eyes turns into an inferno. He loses the argument, and silently broods as he is given two weeks.

Two weeks with Haruka, and no more.

He’s upset, and he shows it when he tells Haruka everything. The merboy barely reacts, and even then only with tiny nods and sounds of acknowledgement. It’s almost as if they are having some random conversation and not a life-changing one that could see their blossoming friendship dissolve into nothingness.

“This friendship is important to me!” He screams, as his vision blurs. “You are important to me! I don’t want to leave!”

He sobs, drawing his legs up to his chest. Someone slides and sits down beside him, but he doesn’t look up.

“...you’re important to me too.”

Haruka gazes at him with emotion, a rarity considering his demeanour. He reaches out to caress the other’s face, taking in the sensation of warmth spreading beneath his cold fingertips. With no warning he pushes both their lips together, and he only lets go after he is pushed off, a flustered Rin looking incredulously at him.

“What was THAT?!”

“A kiss. You told me humans kiss to make them feel better.”

“I NEVER SAID IT HAD TO BE ON THE LIPS!”

Rin’s face is the same shade as his hair, and he does not speak for a few minutes. He’s just had his first kiss stolen by merfolk, and a boy at that.

“...I’m sorry.”

“N-No! It’s alright...you didn’t know any better,” He assures, smiling when Haruka looks up. “Thank you for trying to comfort me though.”

The merboy listens intensively to the other’s words, and heaves a sigh at the end of it. The two weeks left are special, and they do everything to make it count. They talk more, and for much longer than before. They swap tiny, meaningless trinkets and explain their uses to the other. They bask in the cool night air and the sound of the waves as they speak of their dreams for the future, of what they think freedom truly means.

Haruka surfaces the last night bearing a gift. A dainty necklace with a rounded sapphire no larger than a small pebble. It sits prettily around Rin's neck, and the merboy makes him promise to never lose it and to never take it off. He swears on a pinky promise, and then he shyly brings out his own gift; a thin band of sterling silver studded with a single red cubic zirconia. He's embarrassed by the discrepancy in value of their respective presents, but the raven doesn't mind.

"Rin."

The redhead looks up into serious eyes, and he raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

"No matter how many years you may be away," he said, "please at least come back when you are 18."

The crashing waves fill the silence, and Rin wonders why his cheeks are heating up.

"...why?"

"You humans move around far too much. All I ask for is to see you again." Haruka doesn't budge when the other pounces on him and pulls him into a tight hug.

They part for the last time in a long time, with memories of deepest blue on a slender neck and brightest red on a pale finger.

English is an agonising language, and Rin finds himself spluttering his intentions weeks into his stay. He has no choice, because the locals understand no other language, but that doesn't make it any better. He finds himself running in the middle of the night, to train, to fight his way to peak physical condition.

He also drops by the sea, and never fails to slow to a walk and eventually a stop whenever the sight comes into view. He always stops short of jumping into the clear waters, a vastly different solution from his hometown. The lapping waves and the disappearing sea foam brings comfort to his heart, and the endless horizon gives him hope.

The Australian sky turns into the prettiest shades of any given colour on the palette, and Rin wonders if back in Iwatobi Haruka is seeing the same sky as him. He toys with the pendant around his neck. It shines from a strict polishing regimen, and while he takes it off each time he enters the water, he never fails to put it back on at any other time. His foster parents are amazing, the best he could ever wish for, and he's genuinely glad when they understand the importance of the jewellery that he so uncharacteristically wears.

Rin fills his free time with more swim practice, cramming, and talking about his merfriend Haruka. Of course, he shows pictures of Makoto, of his friends and his family. He knows not of his foster parents' attitudes towards urban legends that so rampantly haunt his hometown, and he glazes over that one fact when he speaks of the boy with the cool attitude and eyes as clear as water.

Russell and Lori are intrigued, and they ask for pictures of this mysterious boy that their foster child so adores. Rin pauses at that, and his shoulders slump as he admits he has nothing like that in his possession. All he has are memories of a childhood long gone, and possibly a friend along with it.

It hits him that they don't know any better, and he begs them not to say a word to his mother or Gou. They do not need to get dragged into something of such supernatural proportions. He cries himself to sleep that night, and with a heart of steel promises himself that it would be the last time.

The redhead has other priorities now, and he's not about to let such useless worries sway him.

He wants to soar to the very skies, and tear through competition like the predator he is trained to be. He wants to feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he races alongside the best, competing as one of them. His wishes mirror everyone else's in swim training, and yet he is average at best. Him with his lean physique. Him with his asian features. He isn't bad, but a sea of light coloured eyes and equally light coloured hair surrounds him, and some part of him feels claustrophobic.

He feels as if he doesn't belong, as if he's trying to do something he's not supposed to.

His entire weekend is spent in deep thought (after his homework is done of course), about the future he envisions for himself. He thinks of returning to his hometown, and staying on in Australia. He thinks of trying something else, of a horizon where he tosses his jammers away and goes on with his life.

...he can't. He can't envision that future.

They call him the shark of their team, but it's more than that. It's as if he can't breathe when a day passes that he doesn't swim. He does it for love, for freedom, for survival.

It's the only thing he has left of Haruka, because he dares not wear that pendant anymore. It brings with it restless nights of haunting blue eyes and tastefully arranged coral. He feels a lightness unlike any other, and he just wants to cruise along like that forever. His longing for his merfriend becomes so great it's overpowers him in those instances, and he always wakes up shivering in cold sweat.

He doesn't know how such peaceful visions can torture him so much. Rin believes it really must be the pendant, and it sits in its box from the next day on.

The dreams stop coming, but somewhere in him he feels a sense of guilt. It's a promise broken after all.

Years fly by and with each holiday he passes on the idea of returning home. His academic results are excellent and so is his swim record, but the idea of facing his mother when he clearly hasn't "gotten over" his merfriend is daunting. He settles for skype chats, and marvels at how much his friends have grown. Gou has blossomed into a lovely rose of the brightest red, and Makoto has filled out and become the boyfriend of many dreams.

He misses them so much, and he does worry if he's imposing too much on his foster parents. They tell him it's never too much trouble, and he feels horrible when he tells them there's something at home he isn't ready to face. His consciousness screams accusations at him, and he knows he can't escape forever.

_"No matter how many years you may be away...please at least come back when you are 18."_

Haruka must have known he would pull such a stunt. Their promise rings loud in his mind, and Rin grips his phone harder than he should. The combined advanced birthday message from his loved ones in Iwatobi ask for him to return like they always do, and he doesn't hesitate as he replies with an affirmative. He's been weak for far too long, and he has to move forward.

It coincides with his last year of high school in Australia, and he packs anything and everything. He won't be seeing Russell and Lori for a few months at the least; he needs to settle down back in his hometown. They send him off with gifts, both tangible and intangible. His foster parents have taught him things his own mother never did, and for that he is grateful.

He leaves part of himself behind with Winnie too, but that's just a cover for how much he really does miss his time there. The sapphire he's been so afraid to touch returns to it's rightful place around his neck. Familiar visions return in his daydreams and his sleep, but this time they feel different.

This time he feels a comforting warmth, and he welcomes them with open arms.

A bubbly flash of crimson much like his own crashes into him the moment he exits the arrival gate, and his mother hugs him for the first time in years. Makoto and his siblings wave from the side, and it’s a happy reunion as far as he can see. He can truly say he’s home each time he passes through the nostalgic doorway of the Matsuoka household, and for a moment he basks in the security of the assurance that he’s here to stay.

Then he looks out his bedroom window, and the blue of the horizon bursts his bubble.

“Hey, Rin.”

Rin blinks back into reality when he feels a large hand on his shoulder. Makoto smiles understandingly, and when the redhead locks the door he starts on stories of his meetups with Haruka for the past years. He must have glared, because the poor brunet hurriedly starts blurting out that he never intended to steal any friendships, but that he just thought the merboy could use some company while the redhead was gone.

They chat, and continue to do so until Gou interrupts them and complains that she wants some time with her beloved brother too. She squeals at the adorable animal soft toys Rin brings out of his luggage, and pokes fun at the artificially sharpened teeth that now line the behinds of his lips. She attaches herself to his arm and quietly mutters that he’s so stupid to stay away for so long, and she asks him why he would even think that it was ok to hide.

He gives no answer to that. Gou is far smarter than she lets on, and everything she says is the truth. It is true that he’s been closing himself up, been avoiding his dear sister. She doesn’t deserve his bigotry, and he says a heartfelt apology that has her whacking his arm and yelling that for someone who’s almost always top of his class he is a huge idiot. Gou sighs and looks out his window, and she asks if he’s gotten over his friend from the sea.

It’s almost as if they are children again, an innocent younger sister watching out for her reckless elder brother. Rin does not know how much she does know about that incident years ago, but he doesn’t elaborate.

He says he has, and he’s let off. If his sister caught him lying, she pretended not to see.

The sea is as he’s always remembered it. A mysterious blue that shines a dark green at certain angles where the light hits the surface. He wonders about what lies within, and if what’s before his eyes will change by nightfall.

He wonders if after so long Haruka is still waiting for him, when he clearly does not deserve such devotion.

It’s a huge birthday cake his mother has made for him, and it’s even more amazing that they manage to finish a good portion of the monstrous thing. The taste of dark chocolate cream swirls on his tongue and for a few hours he relishes the feeling of being surrounded by love, by adoration and by the language and culture he had grown to miss so much. His native language rolls off him fluently, and it’s as if he never left. He never wants to leave again.

Makoto’s waiting for him by his gate when the clock strikes midnight, and wordless understanding passes between them as they tear off down the path. They sprint at full speed towards the nightly sea breeze and the murky ocean waters, and they only slow as they tread on rough sand. The moon is bright, even if not full, and it casts a calming glow across the stretch where land met sea.

Rin is apprehensive. He hasn’t done this in years. The urge to just turn back and never return is stronger than ever, but his brunet friend has a firm hold on him. They sit down, and he unconsciously toys with the blue precious stone around his neck. It seems to be glowing, but it must be his delirious imagination.

There’s an abrupt sound, and he looks up when the salty moisture splashes on him. Makoto just laughs, but the redhead is speechless.

Haruka has changed. A lot. He’s no longer the scrawny boy of Rin's outdated memories. He's tall, lean and his torso packs well trained muscles, the product of puberty gone right. His hair is longer now, the lengthier coal black strands brushing the underside of his ears. He makes a graceful leap from the water, and lands perfectly on a level rock. The compact scales on his lower half have grown more vibrant in colour, and the cool attitude the redhead remembers encompasses the very air about him.

It's no longer a merboy but a merman he's looking at, and the sight is the most captivating thing he has ever seen.

"Are you going to just stare at me all night? Or are we gonna talk?"

It takes him a few moments to match that deep tone with Haruka and when he does realise he's once more at a loss for words. He's been gone for six whole years, and he hasn't the faintest idea where to begin.

Rin is so pathetic in that instance that even Makoto has to sigh.

"I'd say start catching up," he starts, eyeing the both of them, "But you haven't got all night, so just...remember your promises to each other, whatever they are."

The brunet leaves them, saying he has commitments tomorrow and he needs his sleep. He's always been a terrible liar, and Haruka clicks his tongue in annoyance. His glowing eyes take in the sight of Rin, running up and down the slender but muscular form. They eventually end up at the necklace adorning his neck, and the raven scoffs.

"I never thought you'd put it back on."

He can feel his heart throb at the straightforward accusation, and he clutches the sapphire in his right hand.

"...I'm sorry."

The slight glint on Haruka's finger catches his attention, and he makes out the form of the ring he gave so many years back. It's tarnished and worn from such an extended time being exposed to the elements of seawater, and the cubic zirconia is but a tiny red dot on the band.

The merman probably never took it off, and Rin finds the guilt in him grow bigger. He catches sight of the other's tailfin gently moving through the shallow water then, and he finds himself in awe again.

"You look...good."

Haruka snaps his head around in confusion, and that's when he realises those are his words, and his facial temperature is climbing by the second. The raven sighs, and he shifts into a more comfortable position.

"You're the same boy from six years ago you dumb human. What makes you think merfolk change as the years pass?"

"Um...I didn't mean..."

A chuckle bursts forth from the merman's chest and it stuns Rin how melodic it sounds. He joins in, and they dissolve into laughing fits. They calm down soon enough, and he takes the chance sit down beside Haruka. He doesn't know why, but he's gripped by the sudden impulse to hold the other in his arms. He does, and the unnatural coolness of the skin he touches does not put him off in the least.

Haruka doesn't even stiffen at the intimate gesture. All he does is hug back tighter, then gently tilt Rin's chin up, and seal their lips in a kiss.

It's such a natural progression, and in spite of his embarrassment he doesn't pull back. Or rather, he doesn't want to. He's seen countless different lifestyles in Australia, and this unorthodox relationship doesn't faze him in the least. It gets more and more heated, and he realises a kiss is not all they are exchanging.

Perhaps it's Haruka's powers, but behind closed eyelids all he can see are vivid pictures of Iwatobi in the time he was away, and of the colourful undersea world that is the merman's home. He's enveloped by so much contemplation, longing, angst and love that his breath is knocked out of him. It hits him that he's feeling every pent up emotion of his friend from the past years, and everything overwhelms him as he starts to feel faint.

Their kiss is broken and he nearly falls flat on his face, but strong arms support him. Haruka's demeanour changes, and he pulls the redhead back towards him.

"It wouldn't have been so bad if you'd just kept that necklace on."

Rin swallows.

"Wait...you mean all those dreams..."

"I charmed it," the raven states with no remorse whatsoever, "It was the only way I could have connected with you from such a distance."

He remembers the weird dreams, and is upset at himself for failing to realise the hidden messages. He had been given the equivalent of a merfolk cell phone, and he had so carelessly tossed it aside.

"I'm sorry."

Haruka gives an irritated grunt, flicking another splash to the redhead's face.

"Again with the apologies. Stop already."

He sputters from the onslaught of unexpected saltwater in his face, and stays silent. The merman suddenly pounces on him with another kiss, and they end up in an awkward position. Yet, all Rin can think of is how much he wants it and how strangely at ease he is with the whole thing.

It's fortunate no one is there to hear their obscene sounds. His body heats up with primal needs, and when they both break away with a thin trail of saliva connecting them, even the raven's panting and flushed. It's so intense, and he doesn't know if his rationality is clouded over with emotion or with lust. All he knows is that he wants more, and his lower regions agree, his arousal the embodiment of his desire.

He's so in the moment he doesn't realise Haruka knows nothing of the way the human reproductive system works. It's only when he follows the merman's raised eyebrows and confused gaze that it hits him, and then he's blushing again as he tries to explain. It amuses his friend, and the humiliation is enough to drive the want out of him.

"I honestly don't care," Haruka says as compares both their lower halves. "I'm just glad it means you feel something for me too."

"Haru..."

His heart throbs. He shouldn't be feeling so much for someone he hasn't seen in over six years. He shouldn't be feeling so at ease with a supernatural entity. He shouldn't feel like this is all he's been needing since his departure.

Most of all, he shouldn't be feeling like he's home and complete when he holds Haruka in his arms like that.

They stay intertwined for a while more, and then Rin reveals he has his jammers on. He all but tears off his clothes and dives in with the merman. They race, and it's an unfair win on the other's part but he doesn't care. The water was his only connection to Haruka the whole time he was in Australia, and something in him swells as he shares this connection in such close proximity.

It's a good feeling, he decides. He dives underwater again, and is met with the sight of the raven's hypnotizing eyes as they glide through the water like they are one.

He's pulled in tightly for an underwater kiss, and their tongues battle for dominance until his lungs are screaming for air. Haruka seems to have forgotten their differing origins, and he holds on. The redhead has to struggle for a couple of seconds before he surfaces and chokes, taking in giant gulps of air. At least the merman has the decency to look just a tad bit guilty at nearly having drowned his human friend.

It's a warm night, and he dries off on the sands. The merman is back in the water, and it's a silent routine once more. Rin is asked to wait, and a few minutes pass before Haruka surfaces again. He holds up a glowing red ruby pendant on a simple chain. The make is identical to his, and then he notices that his own is glowing too.

Haruka puts it on, and his irises are tinged with red. He crawls onto land as he latches his arms around Rin's neck, and he plants a kiss on the sapphire.

The redhead is scared, but the merman's touch reassures him.

"I did ask you to come back when you're 18 for a reason."

"...I suspected as much."

The raven presses their foreheads together, and then all he sees are memories. They tell a story without words, and Rin finds himself understanding the whole picture even as doubt bubbles up within him. His erratic thoughts eat through the images, and then his own memories are mixed in as well.

His love for the water, for the sea.

His refusal to believe in merfolk legends until he saw one for himself.

His mysterious first and subsequent meetings with Haruka, and their unexplainable bond.

It all makes sense now. Haruka knew from the start something he didn't, and Rin doesn't know what to feel about that.

They are soulmates, foretold by the elders of the undersea kingdom. He's human, but it matters not. It's no wonder he feels this odd pull whenever he walks past the ocean.

His heart is there, and so is his soulmate.

"Come with me, Rin."

He finds his breath hitching at the sultry voice caressing his ears. Haruka’s showing a completely different side to him and he’s absolutely irresistible. He wants to ask what his agreement entails, what he’s signing himself up for if he chooses to follow this merman that came into his life and never left. His family will never accept them, and he thinks of Makoto, of all the people who will surely be at least a little sad if he left.

“I…”

“It’s a choice I’m giving you.”

A choice. Rin ponders.

“What if I say yes? What will happen then?”

The merman breathes, and he glances to the side.

“I’m not asking you to leave,” he starts. “But if you are to become one of the sea, then it would be...difficult.”

“As in?”

“Trust me when I say continuing your human life is impossible if you choose to come with me.”

There is reason in what he says. Humankind is not so forgiving, and Rin doesn’t even dare to think of what his mother might say to his wish. He loves his sister, but she doesn’t understand. Makoto’s the only one he can trust, and he’s not there to give advice at the moment.

“...Makoto knows, doesn’t he?”

“He does.”

It explains his hurriedness to leave, and his weird advice to just return to their friendship building days with talk of their childhood promises. Things have changed vastly since then, and the redhead can no longer pretend he’s just a little kid searching for his freedom. He’s effectively a young adult, and it’s a different kind of freedom he now has to choose.

It’s a raging conflict within him, and he says no more. Haruka smiles in understanding, albeit a little sadly. The skies are a lot brighter than before, and the merman makes to dive back into the comfort of the ocean. His hand is grabbed, and he looks back to only to be faced with red orbs flooded with resolve. He waits, and Rin takes a deep breath.

“Give me one more day to think. Tomorrow I’ll be back.”

He releases the cool hand from his hold.

“If that’s what you wish.”

With that he’s gone, and Rin returns home. Where oddly, it feels empty in spite of his family being there. He lies in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He closes his eyes and imagines the night sky painting his vision, and the presence of Haruka beside him. He punches the headboard when he realises where his thoughts are going, and with a hand he pushes his hair back.

He’s fallen far too deep, and he doesn’t know if there is any way out of this.

The next day sees him confronting Makoto about the thing with Haruka, and the taller boy sheepishly admits that yes, he does know and that he has decided to accept whatever decision his friend may make. The brunet laughs nervously as he mentions he never expected to see Rin ever again after the previous night, and he inquires about their meeting. The redhead briefs him, and eventually tells him everything. He finds himself being pulled close to the larger body, and he has to dry tears that are not his own.

Makoto is a soft boy after all, and it’s impossible that the possibility of losing a dear friend forever does not affect him in the least.

Rin goes about the next day as usual, and takes a little trip around Iwatobi to refresh his memory about the place. Little has changed, but the passage of time is clear and he finds himself wishing for his childhood years back. He imagines a world where his six years are spent instead with his sister and with his friends here in his hometown. He tries and fails, and so he decides to cut short his trip and go back home for a small nap.

Night falls, and at midnight he once more makes out the form of Makoto at his gate, waiting. Haruka is positioned on his favourite rock by the time they both run there, and he gives a small wave.

“Makoto. Rin.”

The brunet beams, and then pushes his friend forward with just his left arm.

“Whatever you may choose, Rin,” Makoto mutters as he tries to hold back his emotions. “I won’t say a word to anyone.”

It’s a promise to take the secret to his grave, a promise to never tell. It’s a promise to give all his trust, and get the same in return. It’s a promise of his love as a friend, and a promise that it’s forever.

The merman watches them from his perch, and he toys absently with the ruby around his neck. It starts to glow, and together with it the sapphire does too. He ignores the awed gaze of Rin’s friend as he focuses only on his one and only. The redhead moves closer, eventually making their gemstones touch. Haruka is perfect in his arms, and he can no longer deny that this feeling of being home, being whole is what he’s been searching for his whole young life.

“Will you come with me, Rin?”

It’s the second time he’s asking, and Rin knows to be courteous. He looks at their connected pendants, at Makoto, then back to the merman. He takes in the whole of Haruka, the pristine blue scales of his elegant tail, and the artistic gradient of the tint on his nails. He’s thought long and hard, and his conclusion still leaves a bittersweet feeling in him.

“Yes, Haru,” He says. “I’ll come with you and I’ll follow you.”

He hears broken sobs behind him, and he turns around to see Makoto hunched over and crying. It hurts him to see his friend like this, but it’s a choice he has made for himself, and he’s aware that there is no going back. It may very well be the last time they see each other, and separation is never a pleasant affair.

It takes twenty minutes, but they manage to harden their hearts, and the tears are no more. Rin hugs his best friend the tightest he has ever had, and plants a platonic kiss on his collarbone.

“Thank you, Makoto.”

“...thank you too, Rin.”

They do not say goodbye. They have no need to. All they need is to thank each other for the memories, and promise to someday meet again.

Haruka is back in the water, and with a nod he holds out his hand. He smiles just a little when it is taken, and jerks the human in. The raven laughs at the complaints, and then turns to Makoto, gratitude written all over his features.

“I thank you too, Makoto. Thank you for everything.”

He brandishes a bracelet of several pearls, and he throws it at the puzzled brunet, who catches it with ease.

“What…”

“I’m not yet strong enough to make an actual communication charm,” The merman admits, the tips of his ears darkening. “But this is close. You’ll know when the time is right for us to meet, and so this is not truly goodbye.”

He drags Rin to dive under with him, and with that Haruka leaves his ripples behind. It is still dark out, and Makoto holds the trinket close to his chest on his slow walk home.

The water is alive, and it’s choking him. His lungs are not built for underwater survival, and they scream and protest for air. It’s freezing in the dark waters, and yet Haruka just pulls him deeper. It’s painful to stay conscious, and Rin feels as if he might really die. Ugly bubbles leave his mouth, and they keep growing smaller as he digs and scrapes into what is left of his air supply. Then just when he thinks he has no more air to give, the merman suddenly stops, and places his lips on Rin’s.

It’s a hot, searing kiss unlike the ones they’ve had before. Their necklaces pulsate and glow, the shine expanding into a gentle aura coating them both. The lack of air is no longer his direct concern, and the redhead stays calm as he slowly but surely changes. His body is light, like gravity has released his hold on him and the warmth enveloping his entirety is comforting. He shuts his eyelids and basks in the aura for a bit longer. He’s still kissing Haruka, and it feels as if they will never find the right moment to part.

They eventually do, and Haruka smirks as he releases his hold on his now lover. Rin falls for a bit before he truly awakens, and takes in the sights.

Haruka’s luminescent sapphires meet glowing, fiery rubies; the eyes of a new being. He looks over the other’s pale skin and tinted nails. He smiles genuinely for the first time in six years, and then smirks again as he gets a grin in reply. They dive deeper, deeper, where the light doesn’t reach, and into a world that clearly has no need for it.

The Matsuoka household is in a frenzy, and the distraught mother is in hysterics. Her only son has been missing for days, and she refuses to believe the voices in her head that tell her he’s fallen prey to the legends of old. They tell her that Australia never did and never has solved anything. Gou locks herself up in her room, and she refuses to speak to anyone. Literally no one in town has seen even a shadow of the boy called Matsuoka Rin since that day, and the search for him is futile.

Makoto looks out the window during class. It’s really boring, and he can’t wait for it to be over. Rin has been missing for two weeks, and he wonders where he could have gone. He was the first person Gou asked when they found the redhead missing and honestly, he wonders why they did.

He hasn’t seen Rin since the night of the birthday party. There is no reason he would know where he is.

**Author's Note:**

> You can follow me on my personal tumblr blog at https://midori-emmi.tumblr.com


End file.
